Golden Spread Electric Cooperative

Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a tax-exempt, consumer-owned public utility, organized in 1984 to provide low cost, reliable electric service for its rural distribution cooperative members.

Its 16 Member systems provide service to approximately 287,000 located in the Oklahoma Panhandle and an area covering 24 percent of Texas land area including the Panhandle, South Plains and Edwards Plateau Regions.

Golden Spread owns Mustang Station, a 489 megawatt, a gas-fueled, combined cycle generating plant located near Denver City, Texas, as well as Mustang Station Units 4, 5 and 6, two 152 megawatt combustion turbine-generators and one 165 megawatt combustion turbine-generator with inlet chilling located at the Mustang Station site. In 2011 Golden Spread added to its generating fleet Antelope Station, a 168 megawatt generating facility made up of 18 quick start engines located near Abernathy, Texas, and Golden Spread Panhandle Wind Ranch, a 78 megawatt wind facility made up of 34 wind turbines located near Amarillo, Texas.

The Golden Spread Electric Cooperative mission is to deliver cost effective, competitive and reliable power to provide a secure energy future for generations to come by creating opportunities, cultivating cooperation and navigating industry risk.

Voluntary and Open Membership

Cooperatives are voluntary organizations open to all persons able to use their services and willing to accept the responsibilities of membership, without gender, social, racial, political or religious discrimination.

Democratic Member Control

Cooperatives are democratic organizations controlled by their members, who actively participate in setting policies and making decisions. The elected representatives are accountable to the membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights (one member, one vote) and cooperatives at other levels are organized in a democratic manner.

Members’ Economic Participation

Members contribute equitably to, and democratically control, the capital of their cooperative. At least part of that capital is usually the common property of the cooperative. Members usually receive limited compensation, if any, on capital subscribed as a condition of membership. Members allocate surpluses for any or all of the following purposes: developing the cooperative, possibly by setting up reserves, part of which at least would be indivisible; benefitting members in proportion to their transactions with the cooperative; and supporting other activities approved by the membership.

Autonomy and Independence

Cooperatives are autonomous, self-help organizations controlled by their members. If they enter into agreements with other organizations, including governments, or raise capital from external sources, they do so on terms that ensure democratic control by their members and maintain their cooperative autonomy.

Education, Training and Information

Cooperatives provide education and training for their members, elected representatives, managers, and employees so that they can contribute effectively to the development of their cooperatives. They inform the general public, particularly young people and opinion leaders, about the nature and benefits of cooperation.

Cooperation Among Cooperatives

Cooperatives serve their members most effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together through local, national, regional and international structures.

Concern for Community

While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of their communities through policies accepted by their members.

WHAT DOES “GOLDEN SPREAD” MEAN?

The term “Golden Spread” was coined in 1954 by announcer Bob Izzard of Amarillo radio station KGNC to promote tourism by publicizing the good weather and travel conditions in the Panhandle area.  The word “Golden” was chosen to suggest sunshine and the word “Spread” was picked as an appropriate reference for the large ranch holdings predominant in the area.  The Golden Spread, according to Izzard, extends “from Liberal (Kansas) to Lubbock (Texas), and from Sayre (Oklahoma) to Santa Rose (New Mexico).”

Through the influence and support of Gene Howe, publisher of the Amarillo Globe News, Izzard began the Golden Spread Campaign.  The term “Golden Spread” has been adopted by merchants, chambers of commerce and tourist promoters.  KGNC announcer John Garland Smith, affectionately known as “Cotton John” for his agricultural interest, furthered the name recognition over many years with his 6:00 a.m. farm program introduction:  “Good morning and welcome to the best part of the Golden Spread.”

We believe that the name “Golden Spread” signifies the vast riches of this beautiful land.  The Golden Spread is blessed with cotton, corn and golden grains waving gently in the summer breeze; cattle feeding under a warm blanket of sunshine; and oil, natural gas and helium abundant beneath the soil.  And most importantly, this land is blessed with her people—proud and strong, with character and determination coming from a colorful heritage—working to make this land and life better for all.  We chose Golden Spread as our name because it signifies the great potential of this area.

In 2003, five electric cooperatives chose to join with the 11 original members, thus extending the reaches of Golden Spread into the southern South Plains and Edwards Plateau Regions of Texas.